Separable cuff-link button or the like



atente Dec. 18, 1923.

hilft CHARES D. `LYONS, OF MANSFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS.

snrnnennn Curr-LINK BUTTON on THE LIKE.

Application le'd April I9, 1923. Serial No. 633,136.

To @ZZ whom t may cof/zoem:

Be it known that l, CHArLns D. Lyons, a citizen oi the United States, residing Vat Mansfield, county of Bristol, and State of Massachusetts, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in separable Cuff-Link Buttons or the like, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

The invention relates to separable cufflink buttons or the like of the type provided with ii-idependent button members adapted to be separably inserted in and retained by the opposed edges of' the cud or other article, said button members being provided with means whereby they may be connected or disconnected at will.

The present invention is an improvement on the cuff-link button shown and described in Patent No. 1,314,599, granted to me Sep= tember 2, 1919. y

The two members are indicated respectively at A and B, the member A being the stud member and the member' B being vthe socket member. Each member has a main front or outer head and an inner or back head. the inner head being of a size which is adapted to be easily inserted from the outside through the buttonhole of' the cuf and is retained in the cuff, eachbutton member A and B being held by its cuff edge independent of the other whether said button members are connected together or disconnected.

The invention will be fully understood from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, and the novel features thereof will be pointed out and clearly defined in the claims at the close of this specification.

VIn the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a sectional view on a greatly enlarge-d scale showing the two members of the link in the act of being connected together, the stud being part way through the spring jaws.

Fig. 2 is a sectional View similar to Figure 1, with the two members fully connected.

Fig. 3 is a section on line 3 3, Figure 2.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view of' the socket member and spring jaws, the spring washer and cap being omitted.

Fig. 5 is a plan view of one of the spring washers.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view'of the washer shown in Figj.

Fig. 7 'is a sectional view showing the two spring jaw members detached but in their relative position which they occupy in the button.

Fig. 8 is va plan View of the jaw members shown in Fig. 7

Fig. `9 is a sectional View showing the two button members connected together but slightly tilted with relation to each other, showing the position which they occupy when connected with the cuff of `a shirt.

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary sectional view showing a modified form of construction of' the socket member.

Fig. 11 is a fragmentary sectional View showing another modified Aform of construei tion of the socket member.

Fig. 12 is a fragmentary 4view showing still another modified form of construction of the socket member.

Referring now 'to the drawings, the stud member A has an outer head 1 and a post 2 having a flanged head 3. The post 2 is formed with a socket extending in centrally through the flanged head 3 and is preferably formed with two diameters in the post forming a shoulder V6, and with a recess of larger diameter in the flanged head 3 for the purpose to be described.

The stud member has a base portion 4 which fits in the base portion ofthe socket and has an annular flange 5 which at its rear end is seated upon the shoulder 6 in the socket. rThe outer face ofthe annular flange 5 of the stud is flush with the bottom of the larger recess formed Vin the flange head 3 of the post 2. A washer 7 goes over the head of the stud 4 and is adapted to engage the shoulder 8 of the studl to hold the stud in the socket; Said washer fits'intoA the recess in ythe flanged head 3, its outer face being flush with the outer face of the flanged head 3.

A thin annular spring disk or washer 9 also goes over the head of the stud 4 and engages the outer face of the washer 7. Said spring washer 9 has a central aperture 37 of somewhat larger diameter than the diameter of the stud and has an annular con- Vex portion surrounding the central aperture to give it a spring action. Said spring washer is secured to the flanged head of the post by a cap 10 to hold the parts in assembled position. The stud 4 extends out through the cap lOand for some distance beyond, and isformed at its outer end with llt) like

Seated within the recess 31 are two coni-` plementary springs of peculiar form having respectively a semi-circular` d1sk-shaped flange 15-15, and preferably having a shank or leg 16--16a of semi-circular cross section whose diameter diminishes from the top of' the shank to about the middle thereof and then flares toward the bottom forming a semi-circular base or foot portion32. Atthe narrowest part of the shank an inwardly extending semi-annular lip 21---21a is formed by the bend at the junction of the upwardly flaring and downwardly flaring portions of the shank, the saidtwo lips 2l and 21a serving as jaws, as will be hereinafter described. j

The semi-annular flanges or heads 15-*151 of these springs are seated within the recess 31, the said recess being of a depth equal to the thickness of the said headsor flanges of the springs so that the upper `faces of' said flanges will be flush with the top surface of' the flange head 13 of the post.

The diameter' of the recess in the head of the post is such that when the two springs 1.5-15a are inserted in yposition they Vwill nearly lill the recess, but preferably there is a very slight play so that when the semicircular outer periphery of the flanges of the two springs are in contact with the peripheral wall of said recess there is a slight space 17 between the proximateinner edges of the flanges of the springs, as shownv in Figure 8.

Normally also the inner ends of the foot portions 32-32a of the semi-circular springs do not extend quite to the shoulder 14 of the socket. The purpose of this normal space,` between the inner ends of the foot portions,v

16416ya and the. shoulder and of the greater diameter ol the recess in the top of the inner head 13, is to permit a slight straightening out of the springs 15S-15a. If, for instance, the head 20` of the stud, which is slightly larger in diameter than the normal space between the two jaw portions 21-211 ofthe two springs, is pushed in between the said jaw portions it will spread them apart until the flanges of the spring members engage with the peripheral wall of the recess 31, and then the legs of the said springs will tend to straighten out by the continued pressure of the ball until the feet 32 of the said springs engage the shoulder 14, which will serve as a stop to prevent the further straightening of the springs and thus keep the springs under tension.

A spring disk 18 similar to the spring disk 9 goes over the two semi-circular spring members 15---15a and is seated upon the outer face of the flange head 13. This disk 18 is clamped in place by a thin cap 19, which is crimped over the flange head 13 in the same way as already described for the cap 10 over the flange head 3 of the stud member.

The two spring members 15-15a are not soldered or otherwise positively secured to the socket member, but are held in place only by the clamping action of the spring disk 18 and cap `19. This allows a very slight tilting movement of the jaws, the spring washer yielding very slightly'under the spreading pressure of the head of the stud.

lfslhen the two members are to be connected together, the head 20 of the stud member l is pushed into the socket member by first passing the head of the stud through the hole 34 in the cap 19', and then pushing the head through the small opening between the jaws 21--21n of the spring members 15-15, said opening being normally so contracted that the legs, of said spring members will be partially straightened out or the flange heads of the spring jaws will be tilted to permit the passage. The straightening out is permitted by the flange heads 1 5-15a separating from each other until they engage thev peripheral wall of the recess 31 in the flange head ot the socket member and by the said vlegs straightening out until the` inner ends strike the shoulder 14 in the post.l The flange heads 15`15El may also tilt up a little as shown in Fig. 1, the spring washer yielding slightly to perlmit this. `This gives tension to the said spring jaws so that when the head 2O of the stud is pushed entirely through the space between the jaws, the said springs will come back into their normal form and the jaws 2l- 21a will snap into the neck 35 of the stud just back of the ball head 20. `This will hold. the stud' against being withdrawn, except bya pull of sullicient strength to overcome the tension of the springs.

The inner faces `of the diverging foot portions 16---16a of the spring are curved transversely to fit the curved periphery of the ball member.` This permits a rotary movement of' one of the button members A with reference to the other button member B, and it also permitsa slight rocking movement on its axis so that the two button members may assume an angularrelation to each other when inserted in the cull".

It is practically impossible to separate llO the two button members eXcept by a straight pull of the two members in opposite directions, so that there will be an equal pressure of the head of the stud on the jaws 21-21 of' the two spring members. lf it is attempted to separate them when they are turned into an angular relation toleach other,the legs of the two springs rcannot be straightened out.

In the modification shown in Figure 1U, the recess in the flanged head 35 of the socket member is omitted, and the spring disk 18 and the cap 19 will still be suiiicient to hold the said jaw springs 15---15a in position, although l prefer to use the recess formed in the flange 13, as previously described. j

ln the modification shown in Figure 11, the annular disk spring 18 is omitted and the socket member '12 is provided wit-h a flange 35 without any recess, the same as shown in Figure 10, and the flanges 15--15a of the two spring jaw members are seated directly on the outer face of said flange 35. ln this construction the outer cap 10 engages slightly the flanges 15-15a of the spring jaws to hold them yield-ingly on their sea-t. This will still allow the spring action to the jaw members. l prefer, however, to employ the spring 18, but, as stated above, this may be omitted.

ln the modification shown in Figure 12, the leg portions of the spring jaws 1:3 15a are shortened, the inner ends of said. jaw members terminating at the points 36u36@ where they project into the entrance to the socket so as to be engaged by the head ot the stud member when the stud member is inserted. The head of the stud member will bend the spring when the stud is inserted so as to allow the head of the stud to pass through, and then the ends will snap back into locking engagement with the stud in the same manner as the portions 21--21a or the springs 15-15a, previously described.

ln all of' the different forms of construction, above described, the spring jaws are provided with a disk-like flange which is seated on the flange of the socket member and is yieldingly held thereon and is provided with tree jaw portions which extend into the path of the head of the stud member, in such manner as to be engaged by the head of the stud member and caused to yield under the inward pressure of the stud when the parts are assembled, so as to permit the head of the stud member to pass through and snap back into engagement behind the head of the stud after the head has passed through.

What l claim is:

1. A separable cuff link button comprising a. stud member and socket member, the stud member being provided with a stud having a head to engage the socket member,

the socket member having a post with a socket and a recessed fla-nge around the entrance to the socket, two separate spring jaw members each having a flange seated in the recess in the flange of' the post and having a, jaw portion which extends into the socket in the post, the two jaws being yieldable to form a passage between them for the head of the stud, and a clamp for the flanges of the jaw.

2. A separable cuff link button comprising a stud member and a socket member, the stud member being provided with a stud having a head to engage the socket member, the socket member having a post formed with a socketand a recessed flange around the entrance to the socket, two separate spring jaw members each having a ange seated in the recess in the flange of the post and having a jaw portion which extends into the socket in the post, the two jaws being yieldable to form a passage between them for the head of the stud, and a spring clamp for the flanges of the jaw.

3. A separable cuff link button having a stud member and a socket member which interengage with each other, the socket member having a post formed with a recess of two diameters, the diameter of the entrance portion being larger than the inner portion, an annular' flange head for the post having an annular recess of larger diameter than the recesses in the post, two cooperating spring jaws each of which has a flange which is seated inthe recess in the flange of the post, the wall of the larger diameter of the recess in the post and the' shoulder at the junction of the two diameters serving as stops to limit the straightening movement of the jaws when they are spread by the pressure of the stud while the stud member and the socket member are being connected together or being separated.

4e. A separable curl:` link button having Va stud member and a socket member which interengage with each other, the socket member having a post formed with a recess, two cooperating spring jaws, seated in said recess, said jaws being entirely unconnected with each other and having a bend so arranged as to provide a passage which is normally too small for the head of the stud but which is partially straightened out under pressure to permit the stud to pass through, and which yieldingly retain the stud after the head has passed through the jaws, the wall of the recess having a shoulder which is adapted to be engaged by the ends of the aws to limit the straightening movement.

5. A device of the character described having a stud member and a socket member adapted to be separably connected, the socket member having a post formed with a socket of two diameters, the inner portion llti im i

being of the lesser diameter, an annular flangeon the outer end of the post formed with a circular recess coaxial with the socket in the post, two complementary springs each having a semi-circular flanged head seated in the recess in the flange of the post and having a shank which is held in the larger port-ion of' the recess of' the socket member, said shank having a bend which is adapted to engage with the neck of the stud and having a flaring portion which is adapted to engage with the side wall of said larger portion of the recess and with the shoulder at the inner end of said larger portion of the recess, and means for holding the fianges of said two complementary springs on their seat in said recess.

6. A separable'cuff link button having a stud member and a socket member, the socket member having a post formed with a recess to receive the head of the stud, two spring jaws in the socket member to yieldingly engage the neck ofl the stud member on opposite sides thereof, each of said spring jaws having a flange head, the post of the socket member having a flange head with an annular recess to receive the flange heads of the jaws and limit their spreading movement, the said jaws being formed with intermediate cooperating bent portions which form a contracted passage for the head of' the stud and having flaring feet, the recess in the post having an enlarged portion to receive the jaws, the walls of said enlarged portion limiting the spread of the feet, the shoulder formed by the enlarged diameter of the recess forming a stop for theinner ends of the jaws, the passage between the jaws being capable of yielding under pressure to permit the passage of the head of the stud, an annular spring washer which engages the flanges of said spring jaws, and a cap which clamps the washer to its seat.

7. A separable cuff link button comprising a stud member and a socket member, the socket member having a flange head and a socket recess, cooperating spring jaws seated upon the flange head, a spring washer seated upon said flange head and engaging the flanges ofsaid jaws, and a cap which binds the said washer to the flange of the socket member, said cap and washer being each formed with an aperture to permit the passage of' the head of the stud member to the passage between the jaws.

8, A separable cu link button comprising a stud member and a socket member, the stud member being provided with a stud having a head to engage the socket member, the socket member having a post formed with a socket and recessed fiange around the entrance of the socket, two separate spring jaw members, each hav-ing a flange seated in the recesses in the flange and a post having a j aw portion which extends into the socket in the post, the two jaws forming a passage between them for the head of the stud, and an annular spring washer seated upon the flanges of' the jaw members, said washer having an annular humpportion surrounding the aperture in the washer to form the spring and having an annular flange outside of said vasher, and a clamp which engages the flange of the washer to hold it to its seat.

9. In a device of the character described, a stud member anda socket member, the stud member having a post formed with a recess `of two diameters, and a flange head formed with an annular recess coaxial with the recess in the post, a stud having a base portion which extends into 6the smaller diameter of the recess in the post, and having a peripheral flange ywhich lits the larger diameter of the recess in the post, ka washer having an aperture through Awhich the stud extends, said washer being seated in the recess in the flange of the post and engaging the outer shoulder of the flange of the stud, a spring/washer having an aperture through which the stud extends, said spring washer being seated upon the flange of the post and engaging the said first washer, and means for clamping saidv spring washer' to its seat.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

CHARLES` D. LYONS. 

